Social Responsibility Spotlight: Earthwatch

The perfect example of being Socially Responsible is the one of our very own in Columbus, Mr. Dominick Brook. Dom not only preaches a sustainable lifestyle but also lives one. He recycles all of his aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the office as well as uses two monitors to help reduce the paper he prints. Ironically enough, Dom works in our Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) service line, providing services to clients who want to make sustainable changes in their businesses. Dom was selected to the the Ernst & Young Volunteer Wall of Fame and also participated in another E&Y Corporate Responsibility Program: Earthwach. I've talked with Dom and gathered some information for all of you. If you don't enjoy reading the post, try reading it keeping in mind that Dom is British and has a great accent. That will make it much more enjoyable than just reading it as if I were saying it.


Dom in a field in Costa Rica as part of Earthwatch

Earthwatch is a program that takes Ernst & Young Professionals out of the office and into the field. Literally. Since 2009, EY professionals from our Climate Change and Sustainability Services practice and EcoCare groups from throughout the Americas have had an opportunity to broaden their professional experience by volunteering with Earthwatch for a week in either Costa Rica or more recently in Brazil. Through our relationship with the Earthwatch Institute, an international non-profit organization that conducts sustainability-related research, EY has developed a unique program that combines research-based fieldwork, with opportunities for our professionals to join skills-based volunteering projects in Costa Rica. Our people have assisted farmers with improving their business processes as well as contributed to research on carbon sequestration and bee pollination. On a recent expedition, volunteers counted the number of honey bees pollenating coffee plans, and provided skill-based volunteer services to one of Costa Rica’s leading rural coffee cooperatives. Their projects helped farmers in the Tarrazú region develop economically and environmentally sustainable farming practices and helped our communities reduce their impact on the environment.an international non-profit organization that conducts sustainability-related research, EY has developed a unique program that combines research-based fieldwork, with opportunities for our professionals to join skills-based volunteering projects in Costa Rica.

For a glimpse inside the Earthwatch Program, check out this video:   

Although I have personally not been able to participate (as it is designed for Staff and Seniors), you can see Earthwatch is another great example of Social Responsibility at Ernst & Young.